The weekend arrest of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman - the brutal leader of the Sinaloa Mexican cartel and the countries most dangerous drug lord - is unlikely to put a dent in drug trafficking and may even fuel more violence as power struggles erupt, experts have warned.

Mexican Marines stormed a condominium in the resort city of Mazatlan on Saturday and arrested Guzman, whose elusiveness after a 2001 escape from prison and $5 million bounty on his head elevated him to folklore status, NBC News reported.

Guzman built an empire while on the lam and even made Forbes list of billionaires.

His success was celebrated with a folk song.

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Powerful: Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted to a helicopter in handcuffs by Mexican navy marines at a navy hanger in Mexico City, Mexico, after finally being captured Saturday following years on the run

In recent years, he eluded authorities by scurrying to safety in a warren of underground tunnels.

'When most of America thinks of organized crime, they naturally think of guys like John Gotti, Sammy ‘the Bull’ Gravano, even guys like Al Capone,' Michael Braun, former chief of operations for the DEA told NBC News.

'But the reality of the situation is Chapo Guzman made those guys look like absolute Boy Scouts.'

Some tens of thousands of people have died under Guzman's reign in drug-related violence.

Experts say Guzman had a hand not only in drug trafficking but also the smuggling of guns and people across the border.

But Gregory D. Lee, a retired supervisory special agent for the DEA and now criminal justice consultant based in Pebble Beach, Calif., told NBC News that Guzman’s arrest will have 'no impact whatsoever' on the flow of drugs from Mexico to the United States.

Drug lord: Joaquin 'El Chapa' Guzman is led into a military helicopter following his arrest on Saturday

Most wanted: Guzman is one of the most wanted men in the world and is considered the 'Osama bin Laden of the drug war'

'As long as there’s a demand for drugs, people like El Chapo and his cohorts are going to continue to fill that demand,' Lee said.

According to the State Department, Mexican drug gangs send between $19 billion and $29 billion worth of drugs each year into the United States, including marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and, increasingly, heroin.

Escape: Guzman escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 by hiding in a laundry bin. Authorities believe he had inside help

Guillermo Valdes, former chief of the Mexican intelligence agency told Bloomberg news service that a top lieutenant, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, is the likely successor to Guzman as leader of the Sinoloa Cartel.

'El Mayo has been leading the Sinaloa Cartel alongside El Chapo for 25 years,' Valdes told the news service.

'He’s very intelligent.'

Guzman will face a host of charge in Mexico related to his rile as Sinaloa boss as well as grand injuries in at least seven U.S. federal district courts, including Chicago, San Diego, New York and Texas, who have come forward with indictments since his arrest.

Raid: Clothes and toiletries are scattered across a bed where Guzman was found with an unidentified woman

Dawn raid: A pancake left in a frying pan can be seen on the stove of the condominium where Guzman was arrested

Trapped: Marines broke into the seaside home in a complex where apartments are rented for about $1,200 a month

Got him: Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was arrested in an early morning raid in the resort town of Mazatlan